A Short and Practical Synthesis of 1-Deoxynojirimycin

The potent glucosidase inhibitor 1-deoxynojirimycin was synthesized from L-sorbose using a short synthesis and only one protecting group. The last step, which constituted the removal of an acetonide protecting group and an intramolecular reductive amination, was accomplished on an acidic lon-exchange resin. This provided a synthesis capable of being operated on a multi-kilogram scale.     

On understanding stacking fault formation in ice

Despite dedicated efforts aimed at revealing possible molecular structures of the ice defects associated with stacking faults in ice (I), these molecular arrangements have remained a puzzle. Here we demonstrate how the reorganization of water molecules on different faces of ice (I) can facilitate formation of stacking faults within a crystal. We show that a pair of point defects can manifest a particular combination of coupled five- and eight-membered rings (5-8 rings). These structural motifs can facilitate a shift in layers within an ice (I) crystal, thereby inducing stacking faults. Furthermore, the presence of molecular solutes such as methane at the ice interface appears to trigger the formation of coupled 5-8 rings. The observation of such coupled 5-8 ring defects provides insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of stacking fault formation in ice (I) and has implications for ice crystal growth phenomenology and the consequent physical and chemical properties of ice.     

A robust negative obstacle detection method using seed-growing and dynamic programming for visually-impaired/blind persons

Though a significant amount of work has been done on detecting obstacles, not much attention has been given to the detection of drop offs, e.g., sidewalk curbs, downward stairs, and other hazards. In this paper, we propose algorithms for detecting negative obstacles in an urban setting using stereo vision and two-stage dynamic programming (TSDP) technique. We are developing computer vision algorithms for sensing important terrain features as an aid to blind navigation, which interpret visual information obtained from images collected by cameras mounted on camera legs nearly as high as young person. This paper focuses specifically on a novel computer vision algorithm for detecting negative obstacles (i.e. anything below the level of the ground, such as holes and drop-offs), which are important and ubiquitous features on and near sidewalks and other walkways. The proposed algorithm is compared to other algorithms such as belief propagation and random growing correspondence seeds (GCS). According to the results, the proposed method achieves higher speed, more accurate disparity map and lower RMS errors. The speed of the proposed algorithm is about 28% higher than the random GCS algorithm. We demonstrate experimental results on typical sidewalk scenes to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

A Comparative Study of Hydrodistillation and Hydrodistillation–Solvent Microextraction Methods for Identification of Volatile Components of Echinophora cinerea

A recently developed hydrodistillation–solvent microextraction (HD–SME) method coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was applied to the analysis of volatile components of aerial parts of Echinophora cinerea (Boiss). By the use of a simplex optimization method, the effects of extraction time, sample weight and microdrop volume on the extraction efficiency of the method were optimized. In the optimized conditions, 3 µL of n-heptadecane was suspended in the headspace of 6 g of hydrodistillating sample, using a microsyringe. After 7 min, the solvent was retracted back into the syringe and directly injected into the GC–MS injection port. The HD–SME method was compared to a conventional hydrodistillation technique. In general, the extraction with HD–SME was relatively faster and required smaller amounts of sample. The microextraction method also showed some selectivity towards α-phellandrene and Z-β-ocimene monoterpenes. A precision better than 6.5% (expressed as relative standard deviation) was obtained for the method.

     

Selective separation of essential phenolic compounds from olive oil mill wastewater using a bulk liquid membrane

Olive oil mill wastewater (OMWW) is very rich in phenolic compounds especially the key compounds of caffeic acid (CA), hydroxytyrosol (HTY), and tyrosol (TY). Therefore, the development of new and effective analytical and industrial methods for the separation and concentration of these valuable compounds has attracted great attention in the last decades. In this study, a selective transport and separation method for CA, HTY, and TY from OMWW samples, obtained from different olive orchards, using a new bulk liquid membrane (BLM) procedure was developed. Various factors influencing the transport efficiency such as pH of the source and receiving phases, nature and volume of the organic membrane, stirring rate, and transport time were investigated and optimized. Under optimal experimental conditions, the transport efficiencies of CA, HTY, and TY from the OMWW samples of 90.1 %, 28.4 %, and 34.9 % were obtained, respectively. Relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 7) were found to be 4.1 %, 3.8 %, and 3.0 % and the limits of detection (LODs) obtained were 0.001 mg L^?1, 0.011 mg L^?1, and 0.008 mg L^?1, for CA, HTY, and TY, respectively.     

Crystallization of Liquid Gold Nanoparticles by Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Molecular dynamics simulation of the crystallization behavior of liquid gold (Au) nanoparticles, with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 nm in diameter, on cooling has been carried out based on the embedded-atom-method potential. With decreasing cooling time, the final structure of the particle changes from amorphous to crystalline structure. We showed that the structure of the fully crystallized particle is polycrystalline face-centered cubic (FCC). The FCC structure of the gold nanoparticle is proved energetically the most stable form. And the final structure of nanoparticles is affected by cooling time and size of nanoparticles. We also showed that the melting point of particles is affected by size of nanoparticles.     

An integrable connection on the configuration space of a Riemann surface of positive genus

Let X be a Riemann surface of positive genus. Denote by $X^{(n)}$ the configuration space of n distinct points on X. We use the Betti–de Rham comparison isomorphism on $H^1(X^{(n)})$ to define an integrable connection on the trivial vector bundle on $X^{(n)}$ with fiber the universal algebra of the Lie algebra associated with the descending central series of ${\pi }_1$ of $X^{(n)}$. The construction is inspired by the Knizhnik–Zamolodchikov system in genus zero and its integrability follows from Riemann period relations.     

Experimental and computational study on the aqueous acidity constants of some new aminobenzoic acid compounds

The acidity constants of three new aminobenzoic acid derivatives were determined using potentiometric and spectrophotometric methods in 0.10 M aqueous potassium nitrate solution as supporting electrolyte. The potentiometric data and UV–Vis absorption spectra of solutions were recorded in the course of their pH-metric titration with a standard base solution. The protolytic equilibrium constants, concentration distribution diagrams and number of components involved have been calculated. The relative pK_a values for three acids were also calculated using ab initio quantum mechanical method at the HF/6-31G** level of theory in combination with CPCM continuum solvation method. The influence of substituents on the ionization constants of the studied molecular structures was investigated. The satisfactory agreement between the experimentally derived and theoretically calculated pK_a values provides solid support for the acid–base reactions proposed in this work.     

Spherical agarose-coated magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with a new salen for magnetic solid-phase extraction of uranyl ion

The authors describe a method for magnetic solid phase extraction of uranyl ions from water samples. It is based on the use of spherical agarose-coated magnetic nanoparticles along with magnetic field agitation. The salen type Schiff base N,N’-bis(4-hydroxysalicylidene)-1,2-phenylenediamine was synthesized from resorcinol in two steps and characterized by infrared and nucleic magnetic resonance spectroscopies. The particles were then activated by an epichlorohydrin method and functionalized with the Schiff base which acts as a selective ligand for the extraction of UO₂(II). Following preconcentration and elution with HCl, the ions were quantified by spectrophotometry using Arsenazo III as the indicator. The effects of pH value, ionic strength and amount of the adsorbent on the extraction of UO₂(II) were optimized by a multivariate central composite design method. Six replicate analyses under optimized conditions resulted in a recovery of 96.6 % with a relative standard deviation of 3.4 % for UO₂(II). The detection limit of the method (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3σ) is 10 μg L￣¹. The method was successfully applied to the determination of UO₂(II) in spiked water samples.

Open image in new window

Graphical Abstract Spherical agarose-coated magnetic nanoparticles (SACMNPs) were prepared in the presence of Span 85 (a nonionic surfactant) and functionalized by a salen type Schiff base for magnetic solid-phase extraction of uranyl ion